MOBILE, Ala.  – The Nicholls State University softball team battled with the red-hot South Alabama Jaguars through four innings, but USA exploded with six runs in the fifth as the Colonels fell 8-0 in six innings Wednesday night at Jaguar Field.

The Colonels drop to 7-11 and have lost their last four contests. South Alabama improves to 18-2 on the year and takes the season-series 2-0.

Nicholls was held to two hits in the loss and stranded six runners. The Colonels took advantage of walks and errors in the first three frames to put runners on, but could never capitalize. In the fourth, Danielle Phillips recorded her fifth double of the season before Haley Parkerson tallied Nicholls' other hit, a leadoff single in the sixth.

Although Nicholls never cracked the scoring column, junior Katie Moulder (0-3) kept the Colonels in the ball game through the first four innings, giving up just one infield single to keep the game scoreless. But in the Jaguar fifth, USA used a home run and three triples to plate six runs.

In the sixth, after Nicholls failed to generate a run with two on and no outs, South Alabama benefited from two errors by Alaina Guidry to score a pair of runs, ending the game in six innings for its fifth straight win.

Moulder was charged with five runs on five hits, while Hannah Haydel struck out two in 1.1 innings of work. Haydel gave up three runs - none earned - and a hit.

Nicholls returns to Thibodaux for its next four games, starting with its Southland Conference opening series against Lamar. Nicholls and LU will play a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. with the finale set for Sunday. Saturday will also be Military Appreciation Day, featuring a special appearance by a U.S. Army Black Hawk Helicopter.